Hi Again....popping in with a question on BLOATING!

Hi Everyone...it has been what seems like forever since I have posted....I hope everyone is doing well.  This month will be my one year surgiversary (on St. Paddy's Day!) &, aside from my husband & three kiddos, having WLS was the best decision I have made!  I have been so happy with the success & my pre and post-op care with Centennial; I have worked really hard--which has resulted in 130+ pounds gone forever!  Everyone seems to think I am at goal, but I would still like to lose another 10 pounds....of course, those last 10 seem to be the most difficult. 

I do have a question for you all...for the past week or so I have been dealing with HORRIBLE bloating, especially after I eat.  It has gotten really bad over the past 2-3 days & I seriously am feeling like I look 5 months pregnant right now.  My tummy is really bloated & as hard as a rock.  It seems like it is a little better in the morning (of course, I don't eat all night while I am sleeping) & is terrible at night....I called Dr. Houston's office & they said to take Gas-X, which I have been doing, but I think I need to follow up with them because it isn't helping.  I also picked up some bloating/gas relief capsuls from Whole Foods & have been mixing them into yogurt, but no relief there, either.  It's even starting to hurt on both of my sides & in my lower back.

Does anyone have any idea what this might be?  I haven't changed what I am eating...I pretty much eat the same things every day....has anyone experienced this?

It's nice to post again! xo, Micheala.

 

Hi Micheala:

It is so good to see you post.  Congrats on your weight loss success and your upcoming wls surgiversary.  I know you have worked hard at this and your results show.  I know that the wonderful staff at Centennial is very proud of you. 

It may help to keep in mind that as a RNY wls patient the fastest weight loss happens within the first year of your wls. We "will" continue to lose weight going into year two however that rate and amount of weight loss will depend upon your new eating "lifestyle" and how "active" you are.

I feel your "pain" about the bloating issue. No pun intended...LOL  Gas-X is a good fix but you may need to let Dr. Houston's office know that Gas-X is not working.

Here is just a thought.  This is where it may be helpful to review your food journal.  In my case I choose to eat Beans quite often as a protein source.  If there is a drawback to this wonderful nutrient rich protein source it would be that we have a human inability to digest some of the dietary fiber and complex sugars that are naturally contained in the bean.  And as a result, you guessed it, that stuff just sits there, unpleasant things in the stomach start to happen and we end up with bloating and other unpleasantries.

In my research I found one of the ways to reduce intestinal gas production of my wonder food was what I did to the bean before I ate it.  I used to think the bean soaking was a waste of time but I have come to rethink that.  Also, if I use can beans, I rinse them really well before I use them in my recipe.

Micheala, YOU ROCK!!!  All the best to you sweetie..

You may want to start on probiotics.  Actually, they are good for people who have Irritable Bowel syndrome but they have been known to help aid in losing weight and help with abdominal discomfort.  I take them and they help tremendously with bloating.  My abdomen used to hurt after almost all "real food" I ate, but after adding the probiotic, it helped so much.  Bariatric Advantage does have a probiotic for wls patients.  An article came out last year that actually said that wls patients who took them lost weight faster and kept it off more successfully.  You can ask your surgeon's office about them.

I do have two things that have caused bloating:
1.  Sugar free products with maltitol - causes horrible bloating, painful abdomen.  Cut these out and it will take a few days to get back to normal
2.  Mirena IUD (do you have one?)  It will keep 5-7 lbs on you with water weight all the time, and causes that look of being 3 mos pregnant.  I finally got it out and the bloating I had caused from it finally left too.

Thanks for the advice....I called Dr. H's office first thing this morning & am waiting for them to call me back.  Of course, I want to rule out bowel obstruction...bowels are moving, but, still....a serious condition so I want to rule it out.  I am so bloated that it even shows on the scale....it is worse every day & I am pretty sure it's not "real" weight gain b/c I am eating less than 1,200 calories & burning between 500-750 at the gym 6 days a week.

As far as nutrition, I haven't been doing beans...I will watch maltidol, but I can't remember having any....I did start adding a little ProLean Protein & Fiber cereal to my Carb Master Yogurt...so, maybe the fiber?  I am going to order the Probiotics for WLS pts today on Bariatric Advantage....I really want this to go away...I HATE the weight gain on the scale & I am uncomfortable (the pain is starting to ping in my back & all over my body from the bloating)....thanks for your advice!

xo, M. 

 

 

P.S.  Trina--it was great to see you yesterday....you look wonderful & are such a sweetheart....

By chance, would the pain be on your right side?  Is it a sharp pain?  I would ask about gallbladder or have you already had that removed?

I had my gallbladder removed just before Christmas....and I don't have appendix.....good ideas, BUT I actually found my answer & it is so crazy!!!

Kashi Go Lean Protein + Fiber Cereal!!!!  That is the source of my problems!!!  I tried to think about what I was eating a week ago that was new....and I bought some of this to put 1/4 cup in my Carb Master Yogurts for something different in the morning....well, it tastes great...I just love the Protein Cereal, but when I Google searched Kashi + bloating + gas...OH MY GOODNESS....there are blogs & blogs & threads about the cereal & it causing severe bloating & gas.....so much that people have actually retitled the cereal with some really funny names (like Kashi GoFar* Cereal...eeewwww....and Kashi Little Golden Bloat Crunches).....although the forums I read were not specifically WLS related I am sure that is what it was.

I got rid of the cereal yesterday & have gone an entire day without any & oh my goodness...what a difference!!!  I am so relieved that it wasn't an obstruction, etc....just the silly cereal that I can live without.....another reason to stay away from processed, packaged foods!

Thanks for everyones responses!! xo, M.

Hi�Michaela!

I havent had issues with bloating, but I also had my surgery around the same time as you, lost 130 lbs, and can't seem to lose those 'last 10 lbs'. Everyone says I look great but I still feel fat and really feel like losing another 10 lbs (or more) would be a good thing for me.

Just wanted to pop in and say CONGRATS on all your success! I hope the bloating passes soon.

Steve

Hi Steve...thanks for your post...I figured out the bloating...beware of Kashi Go Lean Protein + Fiber crunch cereal...I was adding it to my Carb Master yogurt & eeeks.....it was really terrible (more on that above)...

WOW.....CONGRATS on your success, too!  ...u gotta love Dr. Houston & Centennial...great program!  And, of course, your hard work!

I totally understand the battle to lose the last 10 pounds....my body seems to be happy right where it is...but, like you, I'm still not completely happy with the number on the scale. 

At my nine month appointment w/Dr. H I had gotten to the point where I had lost 90+% of my excess body weight...BMI was normal, etc. & I was saying that compared to all the diets I had been on & off during my life that following the program post-surgery was easy & that losing the weight was after surgery was "easy".....then he said "yah, but now the hard part begins".....I thought about that a lot & he is right.  Battling the last 10 pounds...seeing the scale go a few pounds up/down every month....that's really hard....even though I would be content where I am now, I still really would like to lose 10 more pounds--I think I'd feel more "safe" & when the scale does flux a few pounds I would feel better about it.

You have done such a great job....can I ask what you are eating during the day?  How much are you able to eat? 

Nice to meet you! Micheala.

I always drink a protein shake for breakfast, and usually eat a Smart One weigh****chers meal for lunch/dinner. That is the perfect portion for me at this point in the journey. I occasionally go out to eat, and am able to consume 1/2 of the adult meal before feeling full. I always take the other half home for my next meal. Fortunately, I have not gained any weight, but i'm not losing either. The scale has been idle for about 3 months now. But for me, I know the cause- I am snacking more during the day. A handful of this, a handful of that. It can add up! Try to come to the Lunch Bunch tomorrow if you are available. Would love to share stories. -Steve

Micheala - you're not the first person that I've seen post about that Kashi cereal. I won't go near it because of what I've heard others say about it. Really huge bowel bomb! I think you have found the problem!